Display rack



Nov. 24,1942. F. F. LOEB ETAL DISPLAY RACK Original Filed Oct. 14, 1958 Patented Nov. 24, 1942 DISPLAY RACK Felix F. Loeb, Chicago, and James E. Bal cs, Aurora, 111., assignors to Lyon Metal'Products,

Incorporated, 'Aurora, 111.,

nois a corporation of Illi- Origlnal application October 14,1938, Serial No.

234,868, now Patent No. 2,255,744, dated September 9, 1941.

Divided and this application January 27, 1941, Serial No. 376,144

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to a display or merchandising rack for supporting and storing as well, as displaying merchandise of the type generally comprising a multiplicity of various parts and assemblies.

The present application is adivision of pending application, Serial No. 234,868, filed October lg, 1938, entitled Displayrack, which has resulted in Patent No. 2,255,744, dated September 9, 1941, and which in turn is a continuation in part of application, Serial No. 182,276, filed December 29, 1937. H 4

Among the objects of the present invention is to providea top construction for a merchandising or display stand, counter or supportingmember. I Further objects of the invention are to provide a rail construction for a display stand.

Further objects er the invention are to provide a display stand wherein the top may either be formed as a counter oralternatively as a partitioned display rack wherein the marginal rails cooperate to hold the display partitions in ifiqnt Further objects of the invention reside in a display stand of sheet metal provided with a construction for assembling the rail to the top and side walls of the display stand. 7

Numerous otherobjects and advantages will more fully appear during the course and progress of thefollowing specification wherein: c

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display rack constructed in accordance with the present inn ion- Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2- 2 of Figure 1 I Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1. I v

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of the top portion of the rack provided with partitions in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 5 is a detailed view of the rail construction shown in Figure 2.

The invention is preferably herein disclosed in connection with a display rackcomprising in general a base portion having mounted thereon side and rear walls and a supporting top.

I Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein th invention is disclosed more in detail, the display racl; comprises a base portion I!) having atop I2 of sheet material preferably of an area corresponding to the adjacent area occupied by the entire unit.

'The'edges of this member are turned or flanged downwardly and inwardly onthe 'frontandsides 4 rearward edge is formed downwardly as at It and extends to the floor to provide a supporting foot I8 for the base. I

The bottom wall or floor I2 is supported in spaced relation to the floor adjacent its side and front edge by meansof a vertically extending wall member or apron 2fl,'which is provided with flanges, not shown, adjacent its upper and lower edges for securing the member to the floor and for providing a flat contact surface therewith. The apron portion is offset inwardly from the front and side edges of the floor, that is, from the flanged moulding portions M to provide a toe space for persons using the rack.

The sides of the display unit are provided with a pair of side wall members 22 adapted to support shelf, trough and drawer structures as well as a top enclosing wall, as will appear hereinafter more fully in detail. The side wall mem bers 22 are mounted along opposite side edges of the bottom or floor wall l2, their structure being shown more in detail in Figure 2. I

More particularly, each of theside walls comprises an outer panel 24 of sheet material and an inner panel member 26 spaced therefrom by means of suitable spacing lugs or trusses 28. Thus, referring to Figure 2, the spacing truss 28 is in the form of a horizontally extending channel having its central portion secured to the inner panel 26 by means of a tapping fastener 29 and further having vertically extending flanges 3t 7 adjacent its free ends, which flanges are secured thereto. 55

to the outer panel member24, being spotwelded in flatwise relationship thereto. Any suitable number of these spacing members may be employed and secured to the respective panels in the manner disclosed.

The forward upstanding edge of the inner panel member is preferably formed as at 32, Figure l, to provide a suitable molding along the said edges of the side wall members, the configuratedportion being shaped to co -act with an inturned flange onthe adjacent forward edge of the outer; panel member 24 to provide a straight and unobtrusive seam or line of juncture.

Itwill be noted that the box-like molding or enclosure 32 on the forward edges of the inner panels 26 is open at one side. This opening is closed by means of a vertically extending L-shaped strip 36. The L-shaped strip has its forwardwall reversely engaged by the configuration 32 and its rearward edge overlying a portion of the flat wall 26 and preferably secured jIhe' upper and lower edges of the outer wall panels 24 are flanged inwardly as at 38 (see Figure 2). Each of the side wall members 22 is bolted in position on the base l through the agency of machine bolts 40 passing through inwardly extending flanges 42 formed by bending inwardly the lower edges of the panel members 26 (see Figure 2). The back wall of the assembly consists of a sheet panel member 44 bolted along either side edge to suitable flanges forming the rear extremities of the inner side panels.

The top wall of .the present display or merchandising cabinet comprises a substantially flat horizontal sheet member 46 having both side edges, as well as its rear edge, formed downwardly as at 48 and providing an inwardly offset, vertical flange 50 to which are rigidly bolted the upright walls 22 and the rear wall 44 through the agency of machine bolts 52 (see Figure 2) A channel-shaped rigidifying member 54 (see Figure 3) is secured as by welding, along its flanged portions 56 to the underside of the top wall 46 and extends longitudinally of the wall in order to confer suitable stiifness and supporting qualities upon the overlying member. The front edge of the wall 46 terminates in a downwardly projecting flange 58.

Attention is direction to the fact that the upper side edges of the unit are provided with encasing rectangular finish molding pieces. The molding piece on the front of the unit, Figure 3, consists of a longitudinally extending sheet member 60 preferably formed to a substantially rectangular sectional configuration open on one side as clearly shown in Figure 3, to flt over the forward edge of the top wall and the same is secured to the downwardly extending flange 58 by welding or by any other suitable fastening means.

Corresponding preferably rectangular molding pieces 62 are fastened along the side flanges 48 by means of tapping fasteners 64 flatly engaging with clip members 66. Attention is particularly directed to the "fact that the molding pieces 62 while being of substantially complete rectangular section are provided with an opening to permit the passage of the fastener. The clip members 66 are mounted and seated within the rectangular or box-like enclosure formed by the molding pieces and have spaced flanges, one of which is spotwelded to the interior wall of the adjacent molding piece and the other of which is in position for engagement by the fastener.

The clips 66, accordingly, not only rigidify and strengthen the molding pieces but provide means for securement and attachment to the edges and top of the structure. As clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, the clips protrude upwardly a short distance providing a rim for retaining articles placed upon the upper surface and/or for mounting a cover 68 or plain top when it is desired to employ the top of the assembly as a.

counter. In other words, the molding pieces provide a continuous side rail of uniform dimension and appearance for the top portion of the rack, forming therewith a tray surface.

In accordance with the present invention, the top surface 46 may be provided with a number of removable sections and partitions as disclosed more clearly in Figure 4.

A removable rail structure is provided for the rear portion of the tray (see Figure 1), and comprises a pair of rectangular molding members identical in configuration with the molding members 62. It should be particularly noted that the merchandising rack shown is of such proportions that two of the molding members 62 placed end to end will be just co-extensive with the rear edge of the top and will overlap the molding members 62 mounted on the sides of the rack (see Figure 1). In accordance with this arrangement, therefore, only one size and style of rail unit need be provided in order completely to enclose the sides and rear. The molding units forming the rear rail 10 will be secured in place identically as the side units 62.

The top or cover combined with the rail structure forming particularly the subject matter of the present invention comprises a base portion 68 covered with a suitable layer of facing material 12 such as linoleum and when it is desired to employ the present structure for wrapping and counter purposes, for example, the top or cover may be merely dropped into place where it will be retained by the previously described rail structure.

From the foregoing disclosure it will be apparent that the present structure comprises in general a cabinet-like member enclosed on all sides except the front and, in accordance with the present invention, the cabinet is provided with a top which in certain instances may be provided with partition members as hereinafter provided for the reception of groups of small articles to be displayed for sale or may be provided with a layer or layers of facing material for providing a top or cover for wrapping or counter purposes.

For instance, as more particularly disclosed in Figures 3 and i, the cabinet is so arranged that the upper or top wall surface thereof is provided with a plurality of compartments. That is to say, in accordance with the present embodiment the removable top or cover 63 and 12 has been omitted providing a surface or tray bounded by the upstanding rail 60, 82 and 10 in which there are arranged a plurality of partitions I4. The partitions are supported in upright abutting positions by a plurality of suitable clip members 16 and are secured to the top by means of fasteners 18.

The structure enclosed within the bottom, top and side walls of the cabinet is preferably of the construction shown in Figur 1 and inasmuch as this structure forms the subject matter of the hereinbeiore described application, Serial No. 234,868, filed October 14, 1938, it is not'further described.

Having thus described the invention, what-we desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A top construction for a display rack comprising in combination a back and pair of sides, each side comprising a vertical inner wall and 'a vertical outer wall spaced from the inner wall, the upper end of the outer wall extending in- Wardly to abut the inner wall at the top of the latter and a top having a depending flange engaging an upper portion of the inner wall of each side and a rail of generally rectangular cross section seating on the inwardly extending upper end of the outer wall of each side and having at least a portion of the inner vertical face thereof open and a sheet metal clip having a Web and spaced laterally extending flanges, the outer flange of the web being secured to the inner surface of the outer wall of said rail and fastening means passing through the depending flange Of the top and through said other clip flange for holding said rail in position relative to said sides and top.

2. A top structure for a display rack comp'ris ing a back and two sides and a top, said top having a depending flange, each side comprising an inner wall spaced at its upper portion from said top and an outer wall spaced from the inner wall and having at its top an inwardly extending flange abutting the inner wall and providing a horizontal ledge spaced downwardly from the plane of the offset top and a rail structure formed of sheet metal and generally of hollow rectangular cross section, the lower edge of said rail abutting and overlying said ledge and the upper portion of said rail projecting upwardly above the plane of said top and a sheet metal clip disposed within said rail and having a flange affixed to th inner face of the outer wall of said rail and aspaced flange extending opposite an opening in the side of said rail opposite the depending flange of said top and fastening means passing through said top flange and said spaced flange of said clip to hold the rail in position relative to said top and said side wells.

3. A display stand comprising in combination a back, two sides and a top, each sid comprising an inner sheet metal wall terminating at its upper portion below said top, said top having a depending skirt overlapping an upper portion of said inner wall, each side having an outer sheet metal wall spaced from the inner wall, said outer wall having an inwardly extending flange abutting the inner Wall whereby to provide an outwardly extending ledge, a rail of hollow rectangular cross section disposed on the ledge of the side, the inner wall of said rail being formed of spaced flanges and the upper portion of said rail extending substantially above the plane of the top of said display rack, a sheet metal clip disposed within the rail and having a first flange welded to the inner face of the outer wall of said rail, said clip having a web and a second flange spaced from the first and a fastening device passing through the skirt of said display top and passing through the second flange of said clip whereby to draw the flange portions of the inner wall of said rail against the depending flange of said top whereby to hold said rail in position on said ledge and against said top.

4. In a display stand, in combination, a vertical back, two vertical sides, each formed at its upper end with a horizontal ledge, a top, said top having a marginal depending flange connected to said sides and a front rail, said front rail comprising a vertical front wall of sheet metal welded to the vertical face of the flange of said top, said rail also comprising a horizontal portion disposed in spaced relation above the plane of the top and a downwardly extending flange adapted to engage said top inwardly of the front face of said rail whereby said rail is rigidly positioned in upstanding arrangement along the front edge of the top, a pair of side rails, each having a closed end adapted telescopically to overlie the opposed ends of the front rail, said side rails being of generally rectangular formation, means to rigidly hold said side rails in position to overlie the ledge of said vertical sides of said display stand and a pair of rear top rails identical with the side rails and arranged with ends in abutting relation with the outer closed end of each said rear rail section overlying and enclosing a rear end of a side rail, said side and rear rails being of hollow rectangular cross section with the inner wall of each rail provided with an opening and a sheet metal clip disposed within each of said rails and means passing through the depending flange of said top and into each of said clips for drawing said rails snugly against the outer surface of the flange of said top with the upper edges of said rails extending upwardly above the plane of the top.

5. A display stand comprising a base, a top, two side walls and a back, said top having a marginal, depending skirt formed with a vertical face, a front rail for the top, said rail being formed with a rear vertical wall extending above the top, a top wall at right angles thereto and a front vertical wall parallel to the rear vertical wall and depending below the top, the depending portion of said front vertical wall being welded to the vertical face of said skirt of said top, a pair of.

removable side rails, the ends of the side and front rails overlapping, means for attaching and holding said side rails to the skirt of said top, a pair of abutting rear rails identical in construction with the side rails, the outer ends of the side and rear rails overlapping, and means for drawing said pair of rear rails snugly against the depending skirt of said top.

FELIX F. LOEB. JAMES E. BALES. 

